Centrophenoxine, also known as meclofenoxate or Lucidril, is a well-known and respected nootropic that has proven itself for over five decades of use and rigorous clinical testing.

Centrophenoxine was developed in 1959 by scientists at the French National Scientific Research Center as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, insufficient blood flow to the brain,‍[1] and age-related cognitive decline.‍[2]

Research has shown centrophenoxine to be a powerful memory booster and anti-aging agent.

In Europe, it’s prescribed for the treatment of age-related memory loss, but it’s available over the counter as a dietary supplement in the US and Canada, where it is most frequently used for its cognitive enhancing properties.

Centrophenoxine is classified as a cholinergic, a substance that delivers or enhances the action of choline.‍[3] Choline is the precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is strongly associated with many aspects of cognitive function. Its cholinergic capability makes it an efficient and effective nootropic on its own and a powerful potentiator when used in combination with other nootropics.

Centrophenoxine has also been shown to act as an effective antioxidant‍[4]and neuroprotectant,‍[5] reversing the destructive effects of toxins and free radicals in the brain and effectively slowing cognitive decline.

Benefits and Effects of Centrophenoxine

Centrophenoxine offers a wide range of benefits for both brain and body:

Enhances Memory and Learning

Centrophenoxine has been shown to enhance the formation, storage, and retrieval of memories.

In a study of healthy elderly human subjects, centrophenoxine appeared to improve long-term memory formation and increase mental alertness.‍[6]

An animal study on old mice demonstrated that centrophenoxine was able to increase the speed at which they were able to learn a new task.‍[7]

Centrophenoxine has also been shown to increase synaptic plasticity‍[8] which in turn may enhance fluid intelligence, or the ability to solve problems without relying on acquired knowledge.

Anti-Aging and Neuroprotective Properties

Centrophenoxine has been shown to increase the lifespan of rats up to 50%.‍[9]

Research shows that centrophenoxine is an aggressive free radical scavenger and powerful antioxidant that protects the brain from age-related deterioration, flushes out toxins, and repairs damaged cells.‍[10]

Particularly notable is centrophenoxine’s ability to repair the cellular damage done by the oxidation of fat in cell membranes‍[11] which is strongly associated with neurodegeneration and other age-related disorders.

Centrophenoxine has also been shown to reduce accumulation of lipofuscin (age pigment) that accumulates progressively in neurons and other cells.‍[12] Lipofuscin build-up is believed to be related to aging and is associated with many age-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease.‍[13]

Improves Mood and Motivation

Animal studies suggest that centrophenoxine has a measurable anti-anxiety effect.‍[14]

Some users report that it improves both mood and motivation, acting as a mild but noticeable anti-depressant.‍[15]‍[16]

While this aspect of centrophenoxine does not appear to be universal and has not been intensively studied, it could be explained at least in part by the compound’s neuroenergizing properties.

How It Works

Centrophenoxine is a combination of PCPA (para-chlorphenoxyacetic) and a synthetic version of DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol) that has been modified to improve absorption and enhance its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.

It is a fat-soluble compound that is metabolized in the liver.

Though centrophenoxine has been the subject of decades of research, its precise mechanisms of action are still not entirely understood.

Once centrophenoxine crosses the blood-brain barrier, it ultimately increases the amount of acetylcholine in the synaptic vesicles, either by converting into an intermediary phospholipid which is then used to make acetylcholine or by breaking down into choline which is converted to acetylcholine.‍[17]

Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter most strongly associated with memory and general cognitive acuity. Centrophenoxine’s ability to increase acetylcoline levels is the primary means by which it acts as a nootropic.

However, centrophenoxine enhances cognition in other ways as well, such as increasing the availability of oxygen and glucose to the brain and decreasing concentrations of cellular waste and toxins that adversely affect cognition.

Centrophenoxine has proven anti-aging as well as nootropic properties. It is an effective antioxidant‍[18] capable of flushing toxins from the cells and helping repair toxin-related damage.‍[19]

It’s known to decrease concentrations of waste products created by lipid peroxidation, or the oxidative degradation of fats in the cell membranes.‍[20] Cellular damage created by lipid peroxidation is associated with aging and is implicated in many diseases and disorders, including cancer, cardiac disease, and neurological dysfunction.‍[21]

Centrophenoxine is believed to halt and perhaps even reverse the cellular potassium buildup that is associated with age-related cognitive decline.‍[22]

Centrophenoxine has also been shown to reduce or even eliminate the buildup of lipofuscin,‍[23] a waste material present in aging cells. Lipofuscin buildup is typically found in the cells of the liver, kidney, heart muscle, and retina, as well as in nerve and ganglion cells. Because lipofuscin buildup is strongly associated with many age-related disorders, centrophenoxine’s ability to reduce or eliminate this buildup makes it an invaluable anti-aging tool.

Dosage

Recommended dosages of centrophenoxine range from 250–3000 mg a day, given in two doses, and is considered both safe and effective for most healthy adults.‍[24]

Higher doses may be required to maximize its anti-aging effects, but it is advisable to consult a medical professional before exceeding the recommended daily dosage.

As with all supplements, it is best to start with the lowest possible effective dose and gradually increase as needed.

Because centrophenoxine is fat-soluble, it is best taken with food.

Stacking

Centrophenoxine is an outstanding choline source that works exceptionally well with other nootropics, particularly the racetams.

Centrophenoxine and Aniracetam Stack

Here’s an example of a centrophenoxine stack that includes the popular racetam aniracetam to boost memory retention, mood, creativity, while reducing anxiety.

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